Need information? RRPL has an app for that

Research used to mean a trip to the library, and tedious scouring through books and other materials. While the Internet has made searching for information easier, it can still be a challenge to wade through all the entries flooding the computer screen when “Googling” a topic.

Now, thanks to Rocky River Public Library’s new mobile app, patrons can renew a book, place one on hold, download an e-book or have access to the library’s collection with the touch of a finger.

“Everyone lives on their mobile phones these days, so it’s important for the library to be easily accessible whenever and wherever people need access to our staff and rich resources,” Nick Cronin, the library’s director, said.

“Our mobile app puts library information just one tap away with much faster access than going through a browser. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this new way to use the library by downloading our app,” he added, thanking the Rocky River Public Library Foundation, whose donation made the app possible.

Rocky River Public Library is the only collection, other than that of the Cuyahoga County system, available through the mobile app.

To access the mobile app, search “RRPL” in a mobile device’s app store or visit www.rocky.boopsie.com using a browser. The app can be downloaded to an iPhone, iPod Touch, Android smartphone or tablet, Blackberry and other devices.

Searching the catalog with a mobile app is easy. After typing the first few letters of two or three words, search results begin to appear. For example, to find information about Mark Twain, “ma twa” would be entered. Once a title is found, it can be placed on hold from the device.

The app also lets the user scan an ISBN barcode anywhere on a book to see if the library owns the title.

“This is a really nice feature,” Cronin noted. “If you’re at a bookstore you can just scan the ISBN, see if we own it and, if we do, place a hold on it right from your phone.”

For more information on the library’s new mobile app, visit www.rrpl.org or call the library at 440-333-7610.